Supporting fixture



Dec. 10, 1929. G. E. HULSE ,7 5

SUPPORTING FIXTURE Filed July 14, 1927 lllllllll,

Fatented Dec. 10, 1929 GEORGE E. HULSE, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE SAFETY GAR HEATING & LIGHTING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY SUPPORTING rrx'ruan Application-filed July 14, 1927. Serial No. 205,599.

This invention relates to supporting fixtures adapted, for example, for supporting from a ceiling an electric lighting fixture or electric fan or the like.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a device of the above nature which is practical and thoroughly efiicient. Another object is to provide a device of the above nature which is simple in construction and inexpensive. Another object is to provide a device of the above nature which is convenient to mount or assemble and convenient to take down. Another object is to provide a device of the above nature having convenient provision for the passage of wiring to supply electric current to the apparatus which may be supported thereby. Another object is to provide a device of the above nature which permits the supported apparatusto hang vertically regardless of irregularities or inclination of the ceiling or other overhead structure to which the fixture is secured. Other objects will be in part obvious or, in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scope of the application goof which will be indicated in thefollowing claims. i 1

In the accompanying drawing in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of this invention, 1

Figure 1 is a top planview with broken away;

Figure 2 is a side elevation;

' Figure 3 is a section taken substantially along the line 33 of Figure 1, and

I Figure 4. is a bottom view.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views'of the drawing.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, there is shown a member 10 which is in somewhat the'form of a plate, having a plurality of spaced outwardly projecting parts shown herein as three in number, '10, 10' andlO.

parts p member 10 is adapted to be secured to a ceiling or to an electric outlet box positioned in the ceiling. For purposes of attaching to an outlet, the member 10 is providedwith a central threaded opening 11 by means of which it may be threaded upon the projecting threaded stud of the box. WVhen .such a stud is not available the member 10 is secured to the ceiling or other over-head construction by means of screws for which there are provided holes 12 through the parts 10 10 and 10. I

The member 10 is shown herein as substantially circular in shape. About its periphery it is provided with downwardly projecting annular means taking the form of three arms 13,- 14 and 15 depending from the outer ends of the parts 10*, 10 and 10 respectively. The arms 13, 14: and 15 are each shaped to provide a ledge or upwardly facing supporting surface. As shown herein the arms are provided at their lower ends with laterally projecting extensions or lugs 13*, 14 and 15 respectively which, looking downwardly upon the member 10 as viewed in Figure 1, appear between the spaced parts 10 10 and 10.

Fitting within the annular means provided by the arms 13, 1 1 and 15 and their projecting portions or lugs 13 14 and 15 is a member 16 which is preferably substantially cup shaped. This member 16 is provided adjacent its upper edge with three outwardly projecting arms or lugs 17, 18 and 19. These lugs 17, 18 and 19 rest upon the upper surfaces of the parts 13*, 14: and 15 and the cup-shaped member 16'is thereby supported from the member 10. p

The inner walls of the cup-shaped member 16 are rounded in substantially spherical fashion at the bottom portion, and in the bottom of the cup-shaped member is an opening 20. Within the part 16 is a member 21 which has a rounded outer surface mating with the rounded inner walls of the part 16. The member 21 rests loosely within the cup-shaped member 16 and is provided with a threaded opening 22 into whichis threaded a supporting member such as a pipe 23. The pipe 23 is adapted to support at its lower end a lighting fixture or an electric fan or any other mechanism hich, i is de red t9 p n from the ceiling. The supporting pipe 23 may be of any desired length. r

In mounting this supporting fixture, the parts 16 and 21 are'separated from the member 10. The member 10 is then secured in po sition against the ceiling by being. threaded upon the projectingstud of the outlet box or fastened by means of screws through. the

openings 12. WVhen the member 10 is thread ea upon anoutlet box', a locking screw 24 is employed 'to lock the member against'iur threading. The member 10 having been secured in position, the member 16 is slipped over the supporting pipe 23 and thereupon the member 21 is threaded upon the pipe, the

' ripabe na pr e ly et O a e s w at 2 5;tO: prevent unthreadingvv and insure a seabev'eiclescriibed, large headed screws 26 are threadedz te ne imb e-ofh Parts and. 10, 19 1 th ot m, nd' heads of t ,hes e screws preventjturning of the part 16 and hence prevent movement of; the arms or lug s ll, '18 'and 19 out of position upon the supporting surfaces 13*, 14 and 15 'Thecoacting'rounded surfaces of the member121 and the member 16 provide a ball and socketsupp ortwhich permits the pipe 23 to hang vertically irrespective of deviations from thehorizontal plane in which the member 10 is secured. If the ceiling slants somewhat, ori'f the stud to which the part 10 is I isecureddoes not hang justvertieally, the pipe still hang ina vertical position. Projecting-outwardly from the upper edge of the member2l is a lug 27 which enters a vertical slot 28 the side of the cup-shaped member '16 This lug prevents any substantial relative turning bet-ween the-parts 21 and 16., but

s snlfieient clearance is allowed t0v permit the member 21to swivel freely in therounded interior of the member 16 so that the partssuppa te h efr m a han zve llyi From the foregoing, will beseen that the supporting fixture shown herein achieves a y .pr i a eelral t i a, ee-a s surported will; hang. vertically without caref and ac eurate positioningfof the fixture when .it is securedto theceiling "Agstrong, connection may bemade-betwcenthe pipe 23 and the member 21 beforethepartsare lifted. into .po-

.si tionpand thereafter the remaining steps of the assembly are accomplished simply a slight tnrning are? rhembeiie, lThislatter ieetpa permeate as m yi the pp r of the parts is of distinct advantage, doing electrical connections during assembly and the danger of wearing off the insulation. The

lead wires shown at 29 may be brought out between any two of the parts 10,- 10 'and 10 with the greatest convenience and without requiring any special outlet passage or device. When it is dcsiredto take the fixture down, an nec'essarymerely to-remove the screws 26 and give the part 16 a slight rotation to move the parts 17, 18 and 19 off the parts 13, 14 and'l l As many possible embodiments may be made of the above invention and as many changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter liereinbefore set forthor shown in the accompanying drawing is tobe interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention: I

1. In asupporting fixture for lamps or the like. in combination, a member adapted to be secured to a ceiling'and having a plurality of depending supportingarms,said

arms being shaped to provideupavardlyfacing supporting surfaces, a member fitting within said armsand having a plurality of voutwardly extending lugs resting uponsaid supporting. surfaces, said last member being removable from said first- .m6mber'1byrelative rotary movementbetween said members, said second-mentioned members being interiorly substantially =cup-shaped and adapted thereby to form a socket, and athird 1ne1n-, her resting loosely within said cup-shaped member and-within the compass of the depending arms of said first-mentioned. memher and having a rounded outer. surface substantially seating within the socket portion of saidiseeond-mentioned memben and means adapted to seeurea device to said third-mentioned member and adapted to depend therefrom.

2. In a'supporting fixture for lampsor the" like, in combination, a member adapted to be secured to a ceiling and having a plurality of substantially 'annularly arranged spaced depending L-sh'aped arms, a the' free ends of the, horizontal portions of eachbeingspaced from the vertical portion of an adjacentarm, a member hanging from said firstv member andhaving, a plurality off-laterally projecting lugs adaptedito rest upon the horizontalportions ofsaid L- shapedarms, althird member fitted within said second-mentioned member, ,s aid ,two members. having c oaeting. surfaces adapted to form substantially a ball and sqe e h nt n sa d. se ond-:m tie ctm ba b twe nn n her n thr u which ahane e de ic e eeiired tqi sai -hird-ment a d m m n means for pr ve t tatingaboiit a horizontal axis relat ile tofsai'd trollable at will for preventing said secondmentioned member from being rotated to swing said lugs thereon oil of said horizontal portions of said L-shaped arms.

3. In a supporting fixture for lamps or the like, in combination, a member adapted to be secured to a ceiling and having annularly arranged spaced depending means thereon provided at their ends with laterally extending horizontal arms, the said horizontal arms being adapted to provide a plurality of spaced supporting ledges, and a member hanging from said first member having a plurality of laterally projecting lugs resting upon said supporting ledges, said second member being removable from said first member by rotating said second member and moving said lugs downwardly through the spaces between said spaced L-shaped means, and a screw removably threaded into said member through the bottom thereof adjacent one of said ledges for coacting with one of said lugs and preventing said rotary movement.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this eighteenth day of June, 1927.

GEORGE E. HULSE. 

